Violent Repeat Offender Accused in Charlotte Knife Attack

Alleged assailant had faced over 18 criminal charges in past decade before latest incident.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 9:40pm

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A 31-year-old North Carolina man named Micah Emmanuel Ragin has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury following a stabbing incident in Charlotte. Court records show Ragin has faced over 18 criminal charges, including assault and domestic violence cases, spanning multiple counties over the past decade before the latest alleged attack.

Why it matters

The case has reignited debate over repeat offenders and criminal justice policies, with Republican officials criticizing Democratic leaders like former Governor Roy Cooper over pandemic-era decisions that they claim allowed dangerous individuals to remain free. The stabbing also comes months after a fatal light-rail attack in Charlotte that drew national attention to the issue.

The details

According to police, officers responded to a 911 call about a knife assault on Feb. 28 and found a man suffering from a stab wound to his knee. Investigators say the suspect, Ragin, discarded a bag and the knife into a nearby creek before boarding a city bus. Police later located the bus, identified Ragin as the suspect, and recovered the kitchen knife from the creek. Ragin admitted to being involved in a physical altercation but did not acknowledge the stabbing.

  • On Feb. 28, the alleged stabbing incident occurred.
  • Ragin has faced over 18 criminal charges dating back to at least 2015.

The players

Micah Emmanuel Ragin

A 31-year-old North Carolina man charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury following a stabbing incident in Charlotte. Court records show he has faced over 18 criminal charges, including assault and domestic violence cases, spanning multiple counties over the past decade.

Roy Cooper

The former Democratic governor of North Carolina who has been criticized by Republican officials over pandemic-era criminal justice policies that they claim allowed dangerous offenders to remain free.

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What they’re saying

“Micah Ragin was arrested and let back onto the streets 18 times too many — including under then-Governor Roy Cooper's COVID mass inmate release. Have Charlotte's pro-crime Democrats learned nothing from Iryna's tragic murder? How many victims will it take to finally keep criminals behind bars? The Queen City has been stained by crimes that are preventable — they are lucky this wasn't the next Iryna Zarutska.”

— Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C.

“Yet again, Roy Cooper's soft-on-crime policies allowed a violent career criminal to roam free, resulting in a vicious attack. Cooper coddles criminals and North Carolinians pay the price.”

— Nick Puglia, Regional Press Secretary, National Republican Senatorial Committee

What’s next

Ragin's felony case is pending, and officials have not announced a trial date.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing debates over repeat offenders, criminal justice policies, and public safety in Charlotte and across North Carolina, with partisan divisions emerging over the role of pandemic-era decisions in allowing dangerous individuals to remain free.